Best Trade Schools in Mobile, Alabama (2025 Guide)

Updated September 14, 2025 | Brad Fishbein

Table of Contents
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Here are the best schools in Mobile. This guide ranks accredited local options, explains Alabama licensing, and shows which trades are hiring. Mobile’s maritime, aerospace, construction, and healthcare employers rely on skilled workers1.

Top Trade Schools in Mobile

School Program Length Highlights
Bishop State Community College (Mobile) 1–2 years (certificates, AAS) SACSCOC-accredited; welding, HVAC/R, electrical, automotive, diesel, culinary, practical nursing; multiple Mobile campuses2
Alabama Aviation College at Mobile (Enterprise State CC) 18–24 months Regionally accredited through Enterprise State CC; Part 147 Airframe & Powerplant training; avionics; located at Brookley Aeroplex near Airbus2
Fortis College — Mobile 9–18 months ACCSC-accredited; HVAC/R, medical assisting, practical nursing; day and evening options at the Mobile campus3
Blue Cliff Career College — Mobile 6–15 months Nationally accredited career school; cosmetology/esthetics, massage therapy, medical assisting; state-approved programs
Paul Mitchell The School — Mobile 10–12 months NACCAS-accredited; cosmetology and esthetics programs; strong industry network
Coastal Alabama Community College — Gulf Shores & Foley (near Mobile) 1–2 years SACSCOC-accredited; welding, HVAC/R, process technology, drafting/design; 45–60 minutes from downtown Mobile2
UA Local 119 Plumbers & Steamfitters Apprenticeship — Mobile 4–5 years Registered Apprenticeship (U.S. DOL); earn-while-you-learn training in plumbing, pipefitting, and HVAC service with classroom + paid jobsite hours

Tip: Use College Navigator to verify each campus’s programs, accreditation, and outcomes before you apply2.

Skilled Trades in Demand

  • Electrician

    • Construction, shipbuilding, and industrial maintenance keep electricians busy across the Port of Mobile and Gulf Coast. Entry paths include college certificates or a registered apprenticeship. Alabama wages and employment for electricians remain solid, with steady statewide growth1. See the role and training path here: Electrician.

  • HVAC/R Technician

    • Mobile’s climate drives year-round HVAC work in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Programs teach diagnostics, refrigerants, and controls. Many employers want EPA 608 certification and hands-on experience. Explore career details: HVAC.

  • Welder

    • Shipyards, fabrication shops, and construction contractors hire welders with structural and pipe skills. AWS or NCCER performance qualifications can help you move up quickly. Learn more about paths and certs: Welding4.

  • Plumber

    • New builds and industrial projects need plumbers and pipefitters with code knowledge, backflow, and gas fitting experience. The quickest path is an apprenticeship that combines paid work with classroom training. Career overview: Plumbing.

Employers value safety, reliability, and certifications. A strong portfolio of lab work and on-the-job hours makes you more competitive1.

Licensing Requirements in Alabama

Electrician (Alabama Electrical Contractors Board)

  • Journeyman Electrician
    • 8,000 hours of electrical experience (or approved education + experience)
    • Pass the Journeyman exam
    • Renew license and complete continuing education as required5
  • Electrical Contractor
    • Document experience and business qualifications
    • Pass trade and business/law exams
    • Provide required insurance/bonding5

HVAC/R (Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors)

  • HVAC/R Contractor license required to advertise or contract
    • 2 years of experience (or approved education + experience)
    • Pass trade and business/law exams
    • Hold EPA Section 608 certification for refrigerants
    • Maintain liability insurance and renew annually with CE as required67

Plumbing & Gas Fitting (Alabama Plumbers & Gas Fitters Examining Board)

  • Apprentice: register with the Board
  • Journeyman: typically 2 years as an apprentice; pass exam
  • Master: experience as a journeyman and pass exam
  • Separate licensing tracks for gas fitting; CE required for renewal8

Welding

  • Alabama does not issue a statewide welder license. Employers and projects may require performance qualifications (for example, AWS D1.1 structural or pipe tests) or NCCER credentials. Maritime and industrial sites in Mobile often require process-specific weld tests4.

Always verify current rules with the state boards before applying or testing.

Online & Flexible Options

  • Hybrid programs: Many Mobile-area colleges deliver theory online (safety, codes, electrical theory) with required in-person labs for skills checks. This is common in HVAC/R, electrical, welding, and aviation maintenance.
  • Online exam prep: EPA 608, basic electrical code, and OSHA-10/30 can be prepared online, then tested through authorized providers7.
  • Apprenticeships: Blended schedules combine evening classes with full-time paid work. This can be the fastest route to journeyman-level hours in plumbing, pipefitting, or electrical.

Caution: Hands-on trades require lab time and verified competencies. Fully online programs without labs rarely meet employer or licensing expectations. Confirm accreditation, lab requirements, and job placement support before you enroll.

Next Steps

If you already know your trade, start with the licensing section above and contact the board to confirm current requirements.

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Employment and wage data for construction and extraction, installation/maintenance, and production occupations. ↩ ↩ ↩

  2. U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator — institutional profiles and program listings. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩

  3. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) — accredited institutions directory. ↩

  4. NCCER — standardized construction and welding training and credentials. ↩ ↩

  5. Alabama Electrical Contractors Board — licensing rules, applications, and continuing education. ↩ ↩

  6. Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors — licensing requirements and approved providers. ↩

  7. U.S. EPA Section 608 — technician certification for handling refrigerants. ↩ ↩

  8. Alabama Plumbers & Gas Fitters Examining Board — apprentice, journeyman, and master licensing. ↩

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Brad Fishbein Licensed Mold Assessor

Meet the author: Brad Fishbein is a Florida Licensed Mold Assessor and council-certified Microbial Investigator. He’s the founder of TradeCareerPath.com and has completed over 5,000 mold inspections since 2009. Brad now helps homeowners and tradespeople make smart decisions about mold, licensing, and skilled career paths.